Char-grilled broccoli tart with onion jam, walnut pesto

Broccoli is so in season right now. So this week I’m sharing one of my favourite go-to Broccoli recipes.
It’s important to blanch the broccoli as this locks in the colour, flavour, and also breaks down the fibres that can become quite stringy when you cook broccoli.

I also char the Broccoli after as it just adds so much more flavour to the tart! I also find a really smelly soft cheese that has bags of flavour.

(serves 4)Prep time: 20 minsCooking time: 25 minutes

2 sheets puff pastry

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 head broccoli, long stalks intact, cut into florets

2 tbsp olive oil

½ cup onion jam

100g washed rind cheese

pinch salt

freshly ground black pepper

8 purple basil leaves

Preheat oven to 190*C. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Blanch broccoli and refresh in iced water to halt cooking. Drain well then toss in olive oil and salt. Chargrill in a pan or on BBQ until coloured. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Lay one sheet of pastry on a baking tray, brush with egg, then lay the second sheet on top. Leaving a 3cm square border, cut an inner square in top pastry sheet, without cutting into the bottom sheet. Prick inside the square with a fork. Spread onion jam inside the square, then layer chargrilled broccoli and dollops of washed rind cheese over top. Brush outside border with egg, sprinkle salt and pepper over and bake in an oven for 25 minutes or until golden.
Garnish with walnut chilli pesto and purple basil leaves.

Red onion jam

(makes 2 cups)Prep time: 5 minsCooking time: 12 mins

3 red onions, finely sliced

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

pinch salt

Place all ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan. Cook on a medium heat for about 12 minutes or until thick and syrupy.

Walnut chilli pesto

Prep time: 10 mins

70g walnuts

1 chilli, deseeded and finely diced

30g finely grated parmesan cheese

8 large basil leaves, finely chopped

pinch salt

2/3 cup avocado oil

juice and zest of ½ lemon

Toast walnuts in a hot frying pan until warm, transfer to a mortar and pestle, and roughly crush. Add chilli, parmesan, basil and salt and mix. Stir in oil and lemon.